NHLPA addresses Devante Smith-Pelly’s stamped autograph cards
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Hockey Editor
Some collectors realized many of Anaheim Ducks Devante Smith-Pelly’s recent autograph cards were stamped and not actually signed by the player.
The NHL Players Association learned of the mistake and is working with Smith-Pelly, Upper Deck and Panini to fix the issue.
“It turns out he did stamp the cards, it affects five products,” said Adam Larry, director of licensing for the NHLPA. “It was just an error in judgment. There wasn’t any bad intention on his behalf.”
The five products in this scenario are Upper Deck’s SP Authentic, Ultimate and The Cup, and Panini’s Contenders and Prime, according to Larry.
However, the Smith-Pelly cards were all redemptions in Panini’s products, and only a handful of stamped cards were released in Panini’s Contenders and none in Prime, according to a Panini representative. Additionally, Panini has proactively gotten in touch with customers who have received the stamped cards and intend to replace it with a card of equal or greater value with an additional bonus pack of Rookie Anthology.
Once Upper Deck learned of the issue, representatives contacted Smith-Pelly’s agent and the NHLPA.
“After confirming the cards were not signed by Devante Smith-Pelly, Upper Deck immediately began the process of remaking his signed trading cards for 2011-12 NHL SP Authentic, 2011-12 NHL Ultimate Collection and 2011-12 NHL The Cup,” an Upper Deck official wrote on its blog. “Devante Smith-Pelly will autograph these remade cards.”
Upper Deck is also throwing in two extra packs for every replacement card.
Collectors who have any of these are directed to contact the customer service departments for the respective card companies.
“This is not something we’re aware of happening in other circumstances,” Larry said. “When the rumor came to service, we looked into it. We will work with Upper Deck and Panini to rectify the situation as best we could.”
Some collectors noticed a difference in his autographs on the stamped versions with different pressure marks, but the amazing consistency on all his on-card autographs. With rumors floating around, the NHLPA took notice and investigated the situation.
Smith-Pelly played in 49 games as a rookie last season for the Ducks. The right winger had seven goals and six assists.
He also served as assistant captain on Team Canada in the 2012 World Junior Championships. Anaheim drafted him in the second round in 2010.
Susan Lulgjuraj is an editor of Beckett Hockey. You can email her here with questions, comments or ideas. Follow her on Twitter here.
what a lazy twit
no bad intension, hes suppost to sign and he knows this, and instead he uses a stamp. wow, and the NHLPA tries and make it as no big deal. the same ones trying to suck the last dollar from owners Stupid is as Stupid does
WOW what a twerp and the company should know better a stamp is not an autograph
au·to·graph [aw-tuh-graf, -grahf]
noun
1.
a person’s own signature: He collects autographs of artists.
2.
something written in a person’s own hand, as a manuscript or letter.
Not to sound like an advertisement, but this is why I only chase after certified autos from Topps. Supposedly, they have a company representative witness every signing, while all the other companies just mail the cards out in most cases and assume that the player is doing what he or she is supposed to do. Catching the stamp was relatively easy, but with most autographs amounting to a squiggly line or two these days, how can we be sure the player’s girlfriend or cousin or even agent didn’t sign the cards instead? (Such things, though rare, have happened in the past.) The other companies really need to step up and make sure that all autographs are signed with a witness present to ensure authenticity.
Again just my opinion on auto’s. Yes its great to have that signature from your favorite player I understand, however I believe autos are plain over rated just think of how many autos that player signs on a daily basis not just on authentic ” ” cards but on napkins shirts etc etc to me it makes that sig worthless with so many sigs unaccounted for. I believe that jersey cards and mem cards are much more valuable and should be much more sought after. At least with these mem cards you know that there is only a certain amount of that card out other. Its not like your player is going around cutting a piece of jersey for his fans everywhere he goes. IDK just me and yes I know we can not be certain if the jerseys patches etc are even worn by them by I will take my chances
Ought to make him pay back the money he got from the contract he signed. Lazy liar
I still cant believe this…Like how lazy can you actually get?
Love how he actually signed stickers but not hard signed…UD should of just used a sticker or dont include him in any products.
WASTE OR CARDBOARD!
J Cecil, it seems that the Jersey cards used are know in question to after the lastest B.S. buy so called experts, just another failed attemp, to get the product out at all cost, its business, and everytime we here the media reasons it makes me sick, and yet we get more and more redemption, it will take collectors to stand up and say no more B.S. But that not going to happen i fea.,Not enough collectors anymore, to many quick buck people.
One day, the card industry will go under if they don’t get things together. Stuff like this should get caught before it hit the collectors eyes.
J Cecil, I know where you come from, but one day, it will come to light that some of the jersey cards really isn’t what they say they are too. I have a few cards, that state “player worn” and it is a letter patch and is not of that player. I think that if they are short on a particular players game used, they use a teammate items and pass them off. Weather it is one or one hundred swatches, some are not what they state they are.
hopefully my crown royal sig is fine it looks like it is.
Where is my comment? It was nowhere near as questionable as some of these …
I thought on the back it says (SIGNED IN THE PRESENCE OF AN UPPER DECK OR PANINI REPRESENTATIVE !)? If that is true how did they let this happen ?
I think that this guy is nothing more than a typical looser. In fact this very much shows his character and just as this makes him That much less of an idol. Basically he is just “cheating the system” but even worse is how these cards ended up on the secondary market without Upper Deck or Panini even noticing! I mean THE CUP!!!! Really? And how much does that cardboard cost per pack?
I’ve heard that Gretzky uses an auto pen to sign cards. If this is true then it’s not much different than stamping, but stamping is worse.
Am I wrong, but does it NOT say on the back of the cards they were signed in the presence of a UD representative?? Guess that’s not true after all….smh